Other Side Of Cloud Nine
by lupincrazed
Summary: Have you ever been on Cloud Nine? This state of bliss that Ginny finally reaches is ripped out from beneath her feet when she discovers that her relationship with Harry has been a lie.
1. History Of Love

Love, ha. Was that ever a joke. Just when the world seems wonderful, when those rose-colored glasses really kick in, when you know that life couldn't get any better because you're with that one special person, …it all collapses right from under your feet.

A bad experience with love? Me? No, of course not. I was never in love …if you don't count being totally madly in bliss, somersaulting in joy, bending over backwards for a person with the biggest swirl of adoration, care and passion swelling in your heart. If you do, well, then yes, I was in love. Once.

And I think I still am. No matter what I do or say or think, I can't escape from it. Na-ah.

Harry Potter stole my heart last year, and hasn't given it back since. I still clearly remember what he said and how he looked when I first became his…

It was late in the castle. It had to have been because I was making my way to the Astronomy Tower to catch up on some notes I had missed from when I was ill with a sore throat.

No one knew that I was out, still thinking that I was too sick. I'm not a straight-A student, but I did not want to fall behind in my favorite subject of all time. Yep, stars, space, I love it all. There's so much to love, literally. Have you just stopped and looked at the sky at night recently? It's incredible, but I'm getting off track.

Alright, so I was walking out onto the balcony, ready with my telescope, parchment and quill in hand. And as I was adjusting the lens, a warm hand gently rested on my shoulder. When I turned around, I met the face of my beloved. His green eyes, greener than the grass or the leaves or the brightest emerald, were glowing as they united with my own amber eyes. His mouth was in a sort of slight half-grin, as if his ease and unease were battling it out upon his face. But I could tell that he was glad to see me; why else would he have followed me up to the balcony, at night, under the stars…

"Harry." I hardly whispered. He took my free hands into his, and it felt wonderful to have such warmth running up my arms and through my stomach.

"Ginny, there's something I want to tell you. I've wanted to for a while, but I just… I've been so stupid. This year I've made some mistakes concerning you. I haven't been there for you, Gin. You're one of my best friends."

Ok, so at this point, I was so dazed from the feeling of his fingers slightly moving back and forth over my skin to even hear his words of guilt and self-blame. But when he said those words, _"You're one of my best friends.",_ I thought I couldn't breathe. His best friend? That's all? It was a metaphoric smack in the face, yet I felt myself turn red anyway. So I let him continue, as I was too shattered to speak.

"You've always been there for me in some way. I admire you so much, Ginny. Your strength, determination, courage. It's what I love about you."

Then my mind froze. Did he just say love?

"That's what I wanted to tell you, Ginny. I _love_ you. With all my heart, I love you."

My lips were pursed and tight as I took in his words. They seemed so surreal to me, like I had finally been granted a wish I'd been holding onto for years. Heck, that's exactly what it was.

"I-I love you too, Harry." I wanted to say so much more. How I had _always_ loved him, no matter what. How each time he faced a challenge, I wanted to be right there with him so badly. How strongly I wished I could take him into my arms every time he looked lost, alone and hopeless. But he knew just what I wanted to say in the quiet harmony between our eyes. Then his eyes closed, and I felt mine close too, and as soon as I knew, his soft lips were pressing against mine.

Astronomy to love. Shooting stars blasted across the sky in a shower of color and light at our kiss. I had my eyes closed, but I could feel the power through Harry. It was the best night of my life.

After that night, that _beautiful_ night, everything continued to be beautiful. Harry and I would walk down to breakfast early in the morning when everyone else was still getting ready, and if we had time, we'd stroll up to the balcony and talk. In between classes and at lunch, we'd be together. At night, in the common room, he would always help me with my Transfiguration, and with our heads put together, we'd do our best to assess one another's Potions assignments. Seriously, those essays can seem downright impossible sometimes.

But it wasn't just talking and homework we did. We loved eachother, so it was only natural to show our love through action. We would always sneak up to the Astronomy Tower underneath his remarkable invisibility cloak. Harry would kiss me and I'd feel lighter than air as though I could rise and keep rising until I'd be amongst the stars.

Harry never failed to make me laugh, too. He didn't even try sometimes. Just a facial expression of his could send me into mad fits of giggles. A glare would follow my outburst, which only made me laugh harder.

But the end of his seventh year came, and things stopped being so amusing. He entered the Auror program, of course. We stayed in touch through owl post, during breaks, and whenever he could, Harry would come into Hogsmeade. Others thought that I dating an 'older man' let alone "The Boy-Who-Lived" was a bit shoddy of me. But I didn't see him as those things. I remained faithful to him no matter what. I even turned down other boys' offers to the balls and other school events.

Why, you ask? Because I _loved_ him. It was so simple. Harry was my world. You could say that I was completely wound. I guess I was.

I'm not wound anymore, but the scars are still there, and my love for Harry is there still as well. It's a relentless dull ache that rouses each time I think about him. And the ache becomes a pain and the pain grows to be agony.

The reason why we broke up was displayed so crudely in front of my eyes. It was the last day of my seventh year, and a few of us wanted to go to the Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer. When I walked into that pub, the first thing I saw was Harry, sitting at a table with Cho Chang, and they were kissing.

I swear I was paralyzed because as soon as I ran out of there, my knees buckled and I collapsed. The air was heavy and humid as I sucked it in, and tears streaked my face.

Harry never knew I saw him. He never heard my sobs as I cried myself to sleep that night. He never wrote to me after that.

I am Ginny Wealsey, and I love Harry Potter.


	2. Opportunities

Clear beaming sunlight jetted through my window blinds. It was the morning after my graduation party, and it had been a very, very late night. The last of my guests hadn't left until after three. Harry wasn't one of them.

But that thought was not going to ruin a perfectly wonderful day. I was going into Diagon Alley today to spend the afternoon with Ron and Hermione. Those two were closer than ever, and I among others could sense an engagement in the near future. It was obvious in the way Ron would simply beam at me when I gave him a look pertaining to her instead of elbowing me in the shoulder. He's so tall; it isn't fair.

There wasn't a specific reason for our outing. I had gotten quite a bit of present money and thought of treating myself while the two love birds spent time together. So I wriggled out from beneath my covers and began getting ready.

An hour later, I trudged down our unsound old staircase. Ron was sitting at the kitchen table, dressed in old jeans and a blue t-shirt, reading the Daily Prophet. His blue eyes were grazing over the paper as a hand traveled up to his soft, slightly spiky red hair and tousled it a bit.

"Morning, Ron."

He looked up at me for a second, "Mornin', Gin," and the continued with his reading.

I kept staring at him expectantly, but my faced dropped a tad. "Well, are we going? I want to get there before it gets too busy."

"I have to wait for Hermione." He murmured. My eyebrows rose.

"She's not here yet? Bit unlike her, eh?"

Ron put the paper down and shrugged his shoulders smiling. "I s'pose. But if you really can't keep your shorts on for a few minutes, you can go on ahead."

I rolled my eyes. "Alright, but I'll be around the Flourish and Blotts area, ok?"

Ron snorted. "Right, then we won't have trouble finding you. Hermione'll want to make a stop there soon as we arrive."

I chuckled to myself as I closed the kitchen door. Then making sure my money was securely in my pocket, I focused my mind and disapperated.

With a POP, I apparated in front of The Leaky Cauldron and headed inside. I made my way through the dull, hazy pub to the back door. Three taps later, the doorway of Diagon Alley opened before me.

To my relief, only the residents were out and about, and the shopkeepers and street venders were opening their doors and preparing for business. Sure, you'd assume that living with six older brothers would make me a late sleeper, but actually prefer the mornings when the world is waking and the day is clean and fresh.

I entered the shop with the still shadowy sign of Flourish and Blotts overhead. Besides the shopkeeper, Ervin Blotts, grandnephew of Ingo Blotts, co-founder of the shop, there wasn't a single other person besides me perusing. Ervin approached me, bright blue eyes upon my red hair.

"Good morning, Ms. Weasley. May I help you?"

I put my courteous shopper-smile on. "Yes, I was wondering if the book I ordered had arrived yet."

His eyes shifted upwards to the left in thought and he made a 'hmm' sound. I tried hard not to scoff; some people make such a show of thinking.

"Ah, yes." _Finally._ "It just came in yesterday. I'll be right back with it."

As Ervin sauntered off to the back room, I wandered over to look at the display table books. This week's theme appeared to be the Culinary Arts of Magic. Several magical chefs' books with their faces plastered on the cover smiled at me. They yowled out sayings like, "Buy my book, and you'll never burn those dinners again!" or "Horrible at cooking? Things literally blowing up in your face? Well, this book will solve your every dire problem in the kitchen."

"Sorry, guys, I'm not really a cook." I turned my back on the uproars of ruses, and closed my eyes. It was either my hormones kicking in, or something else, but I suddenly felt wretched and empty. Only two weeks ago had I encountered Harry and Cho, but the feelings they caused me to swallow were slowly tearing me apart. And where was Ervin with my order?

Ervin flounced back into the room clutching a thick red book. "Here you are, _Medicines of Many: A Guidebook to Magic and Muggle Remedies to Countless Maladies_. Looking into a healer position, Ms. Wealsey?"

I blushed. "Oh, don't be silly, Ervin. I could never pull through in that field."

He shrugged his shoulders. "If you say so, but I hear that they're in a bit of a shortage right now, what with the whole situation of the Dark Lord at large. St. Mungo's needs new healers, ready to learn and get to work."

I raised my eyebrows in surprise and made a small 'hmm' sound of my own. I paid for my book, bid Ervin goodbye and left the store with a small spring in my step.

The sun was fully risen by now and more people speckled the cobbled alley way. I was thinking about going into the apothecary when a piece of paper taped to the bookstore window caught my interest. The paper read:

**_Attention! _**

**To all those interested in pursuing a career in medicine…**

**St. Mungo's Hospital has been recently going through a terrible shortage of Healer **

**staff****. If Healing has been a long-time dream of yours then please, please consider **

**employment**** under St. Mungo's. Our seminar will be held the eve of July 1st at the **

**Hog Hub in Hogsmeade. More information will be given then about this exciting **

**opportunity.**

I looked back in the direction of Ervin inside the shop. Then turning to the paper once again, I mumbled. "I'll be darned..."

I turned away from the flyer smiling.

Ginny Weasley, _Healer_. Oh, I liked the sound of that.

I thought of meeting up with Ron and Hermione and heading over to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. Of course, Ron and I would have to pry Hermione away from whatever book she'd be clutching, and then she would make a big protest of why we shouldn't eat ice cream in the morning. That's hogwash to me, that is. I'll take a double scoop of strawberry smothered in chocolate _anytime_.

Seeing as Ron was so tall now, I gazed over the growing crowd of people, searching for the red hair and long neck. And being much shorter than any of the other Weasley children, this was quite a challenge for me.

I must've looked like an idiot, hopping on my tiptoes in front of the entrance to Flourish and Blott's. As I continued to crane my neck and hop about, I didn't realize that I had violently bumped into some poor passer-by.

"Oh lord, I'm so sorry," I said as I was picked up from the ground. Looking down at the stranger's arms that were steadying me, I noticed they were a pair of man's arms, and I was suddenly dreading who those arms belonged to.

Swallowing, I raised my eyes to look at the face of the man, and I saw that it was no stranger at all.

"Are you alright, Ginny?" Came the voice of Neville Longbottom. He was watching me with concern in his eyes, his arms still on either side of my waist.

He withdrew them, blushing, and the same warm, sympathetic appreciation came over me that I felt whenever I saw him.

"Oh, I'm fine. Thanks, Neville. I s'pose you might just call me Grace."

He raked a hand through his dark hair, chuckling. "Well, that was quite a fall you took there."

Now it was I who blushed. "I'm sorry, Neville. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

He waved off the question as if me hurting him was an impossibility, and I soon saw why.

Apparently, whatever profession Neville had chosen had required a bit of shaping up, for he was no longer the round boy I remembered. His shoulders were broader; his arms were muscled as well as his chest and stomach. He now stood quite a few inches taller that me too. Was I drooling, or had there been a sporadic sun shower just now?

_Oh, dear…_


	3. In Between

"Neville?" I asked as if seeing him for the first time. Merlin, I was making a right fool of myself today, and it wasn't even noon yet.

"Yes?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"Well… I.. I.." Ok, spit it out, Gin. "You look _great_."

There ya go.

Neville flushed; rarely had any girl ever told him such a thing. "Thanks, Ginny. You er- look nice, yourself."

I smiled, recognizing more of the old Neville beneath that grown-up body of his.

"So you're out of Hogwarts now? How does it feel?" He asked.

"It feels great, but I'm gonna miss that place for sure." He nodded.

"But what about you? What're you doing now?" I asked.

"Well, I've spent the last eight months training for the Auror program."

I coughed back a gasp of surprise. Neville? An Auror? But then I wasn't so shocked at all; his mother and father were Aurors, afterall. I could see why he'd want to pursue the career.

"Training's pretty intense. I figured when I first applied, it'd be good of me to get in shape." Then he smiled slyly at me. I could only grin sheepishly.

Longbottom 1. Weasley -3.

"But recently I've had a change of heart. I've uh… I'm going to become a teacher instead."

My eyes widened. This boy was just full of surprises. "Auror to teacher? That's an interesting switch," I said politely.

"Well, I've always had an interest in Herbology, and Madame Sprout will be retiring from teaching soon, so Dumbledore's been keeping in touch and asked if I was interested in the position."

"That's fantastic, Neville! You'll make a wonderful teacher. I know it."

He mumbled a thank-you, but a sudden look of slight terror spread across his face. "This means I'll be on the same staff as Snape, doesn't it?"

He gulped, and I broke out into giggles. Neville was great, he really was, when he wasn't stepping on your toes.

* * *

A bit later, Ron and Hermione showed up. They were late because Hermione's skirt had snagged on a nail and ripped back at the Burrow. They _knew_ they were _terrible_ liars. A snagged skirt, honestly. Try _snogged_.

We all met up, so I invited Neville to come and have lunch with us. It was a great reunion for Ron, Hermione and Neville, catching up on each other's lives and careers. Ron had entered the Auror program with Neville, and was really surprised when Neville told him about the position at Hogwarts.

"_Teaching?_ Really, Neville? You were doing so well in training! I dunno… I just can't see you teaching." That comment was followed by Hermione and I both stomping on his big feet. Identical grins broke out on our faces when Ron swore loudly.

Neville sniggered. "Yeah. I hadn't pictured myself teaching, either. But when Dumbledore offered, I was so happy to say yes. Besides, you and Harry'll tide things over at the Auror office."

I stiffened when Harry's name left Neville's mouth. No one noticed.

* * *

It was nearing sunset that evening in the Alley. Ron and Hermione went home to her flat, and before Neville left for his own flat (yes, he moved out of his gran's house), he asked me if I'd like to have lunch with him tomorrow. Of course I said yes; I ought to have some fun, haven't I?

I decided to hang around Diagon Alley for a bit longer to check out the new book I bought.

"Why can't you read it at home?" Ron asked me skeptically; Ron didn't like me staying out after dark. Hermione told him off in amazement. "Ginny's eighteen, Ron. Don't you think she can handle herself. You lot are known by half the folk here anyway." She bid me goodnight and left with Ron, hand in hand.

I found a cozy table in the square outside a restaurant to read.

A light breeze picked up as I was flipping through pages, blowing my hair all over the place. I furiously gathered it up and presumed reading. But now something else was distracting me from studying. It wasn't like I had the nose of a dog, but with the breeze came the sweet fragrance of pine and that freshness that one has after a shower or a bath. The smell of clean skin and soap. I almost sighed as the scent became stronger. Then I became alert and turned around in my chair, facing Harry.

He was wearing a plain white t-shirt and a pair of tan trousers, whose pockets his hands were shoved in. His black hair, tousled and sticking up everywhere was damp. "Hullo Ginny," he said submissively.

I didn't say anything for a while. I should have told him to go away, to leave me, or at least turn around instead of being fixated on the piece of hair hanging in his face that my fingers itched to brush away. Instead, I pulled the chair next to me out a bit.

Harry's eyes lit up as he approached the table and sat down. I closed my book and sat straighter in my seat, still not saying a word. Ice Queen is my middle name. Yet wasn't I contradicting myself? Hadn't I just invited him to sit, no matter how inconspicuously? I mentally kicked myself.

"Hello, Harry." There. Simple. Courteous. Lord, I couldn't do this. I'd crumble any minute now.

Harry shifted in his seat and ran a hand through his wet hair. He looked me right in the eyes, and I could see he was more uncomfortable than I was. I raised my eyebrows in uncertainty. He scoffed.

"Bloody hell, Ginny. What do you want me to say. I'm sorry, ok?"

My mouth fell open slightly. Was he actually saying this? Was it not he who was cheating on _me_?

"No, I don't want you to say anything, Harry," I said, standing up and gathering my things. He quickly rose. I slung my bag onto my shoulder and looked up into his eyes.

"I want you to leave me alone."

"I can't leave you alone because I don't know what I did wrong! Fine! I'll do the talking. How was your graduation party? I guess I wasn't invited."

I shook my head in disbelief. "You know what? Ok, …ok. My party was fan-bloody-tastic; my _real_ family and friends were there for me." I knew that hit him… hard, and I could not have cared less. I wanted to hurt him.

"Ginny, please, can we just talk about this before you beat me to a bloody pulp? Tomorrow. Can we meet tomorrow? Just… just give me a chance," he said. The green of his eyes completely destroyed my arctic wall. Ever wish you were color blind?

I wanted to say yes, to give him that chance, to believe in hope for love again, but I had already said yes… to someone else.

"I can't, Harry," I said quietly, hanging my head.

He stepped towards me and hesitantly brought his hand up to my chin. "Why not, Gin," he whispered.

I shivered at the touch of his skin and moved away. As quickly as I could, I pulled my wand out and said, "Goodbye, Harry," before disapperating.


	4. The Leaky Cauldron

The next morning, Harry ran into Ron on his way into the Auror locker rooms.

"Hey, mate," Ron said, pulling on a pair of socks.

"Hey," Harry said, a bit dazed from lack of sleep. "Ron, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah," he said, now tying his trainers.

"Well," Harry began, "it's about Ginny."

Ron stood up and closed his locker. "What about Ginny? Harry, if this is about whatever relationship you two had going on last year, I don't want to hear of it."

Harry sat down on a bench, running a hand through his hair. "Ron, please. She's suddenly avoiding me and I have no idea why."

Ron sighed and took a seat next to him. "Are you sure you didn't do something to hurt her? Trust me; it only takes the littlest thing to them off," he said, flicking his hands out in emphasis.

Harry thought for a moment, but then shook his head. "No. Look, my main concern is if she thinks we're over, has she found someone else?"

He saw the tiniest glint of regret in Ron's eyes before he averted his gaze and began picking at his robes.

"Ginny spoke to me this morning, Harry." His voice was hesitant and quiet.

"Yes?" Harry snapped, his eyes blazing.

"Ok. I'm going to be frank with you. Ginny is going out with Neville today. They only met up for the first time in a while just yesterday. He came and had lunch with us and Hermione, which was really nice," he said, but quickly cleared his throat when he glanced at Harry's emerald eyes flashing dangerously. "Anyway, from what Ginny told me, he asked her out today. They're having lunch together, I believe."

So that was why she couldn't meet with Harry. She was going out with Neville.

"Where are they having lunch?"

"Leaky Cauldron," Ron said automatically. "Wait. Harry, you'd better not try anything stupid, or else she'll never get over her anger. I'm serious, Harry."

Harry shook his head. "No, no. I was… just wondering. C'mon, we'll be late for training."

A quick stop at the Leaky Cauldron for a drink after training wouldn't hurt.

* * *

It was a quarter 'till noon when I left the Burrow. I couldn't stop laughing as I brushed dust and soot off my robes from the Floo travel; it was always nice when the twins came to visit. Strange it was, having their own lot of property in the Alley now. So strange, that I hadn't even thought to stop by there the day before. But then again, a lot had been on my mind yesterday. Ervin's suggestion of me applying for a Healer position… my parents… Neville… and Harry.

Oh, damn Harry. I was out to enjoy a lunch with _Neville_. Damnit, it was going be enjoyable, so why was I so edgy and tense?

It was all because of the way Harry's eyes emanated a power so mysterious, I couldn't think straight let alone keep breathing every time he set those eyes on me.

I shook myself. This was not what I needed.

I needed to be free of Harry the way he so clearly had displayed his freedom of me.

So here I was, inside the Leaky Cauldron. Among the tables and heads and low-hanging lamps, I spotted Neville waiting at a small booth towards the back of the pub. I shook my hair behind my shoulders, walked over to him and began smiling as his eyes caught mine.

Unknown to me was that even there, in that dim and smoky pub with another man, I had _not_ escaped those emerald eyes afterall.

"Ginny! You're here!" Neville said, beaming.

I snickered. "Well, of course I'm here, Neville. D'you think I was going to stand you up or something?" I asked in a mock stern voice.

Neville lowered his gaze. "Of course not, Ginny," he mumbled.

I wrinkled my brow and slowly sat down. "I was only teasing, Neville. You need to ease up, there," I said trying to sound carefree. But I was really a bit skeptical as to what kind of history he had with dating. Surely someone hadn't stood the poor guy up before, had they?

What I said seemed to lighten his spirits since he immediately launched into telling me about the owl he had received yesterday, confirming that he would be teaching Herbology at Hogwarts next term.

I was so happy for him that it was all I could think and talk about all the way through our lunch, which truly turned out to be quite lovely.

* * *

About an hour or two later, Neville had paid for our meal, and stood to leave.

"I had a wonderful time, Neville. Thank you for lunch," I said.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "I had a good time, too. And since we both had a good time, would you like to do this again?" He was trying very hard not to blush.

I smiled and bobbed up onto my toes to give him a kiss on the cheek. "Definitely."

He grinned and gave a little laugh of relief. "Brilliant. I'll er... I'll owl you then?"

"Sound great. Well, goodbye. Until next time."

"Bye Ginny. See you."

Instead of going home, I entered Diagon Alley, wanting to find Ervin. But once I stepped through the barrier, I was pulled back through into the alcove outside the Leaky Cauldron.

I knew it was him before I met his eyes.

I faced Harry as his grip on my shoulder loosened. His eyes were narrow and his black hair was messier than ever, having had a hand comb through it a dozen times or more.

"Ginny, what are you doing?" He asked angrily.

"I was going to ask you the same thing," I said, shrugging off his hand and turning to the brick wall again.

Harry grabbed my arm and spun me around, his face barely inches away from mine. This was too close. Too close.

"Ginny, that night on the balcony, I told you that I loved you, and you said you loved me. Well, now you're acting as though we never happened!"

I pushed him back.

"How dare you come to me like this and speak to me about love! As far as I'm concerned, we never _did_ happen!" Then I looked from the door of the Leaky Cauldron to Harry.

"Oh, and I suppose you were in there the whole time watching Neville and I? Well, I'd like you to know that I had a brilliant time with him, and we're planning on doing it again."

I had had enough. I was becoming hysterical, but he didn't seem satisfied yet.

"Ginny, why are you doing this?!" He yelled at me.

I looked him over for a moment as he breathed in and out heavily.

Then leaning in, I softly spoke, "Why don't you just go back to your girlfriend and figure it out."

I pulled out my wand, deciding on home and disapperated, leaving Harry stunned.


	5. A Nice Dinner, A Nice Boy

Three days had passed since my… encounter with Harry. My mother got down on us for swearing, but God, he was being an _insertbadword_.

The worst part was that there was no one I could turn to about this. If I told Ron, he'd most likely bloody Harry up (not that he didn't deserve it), and if I told Hermione, she'd let it slip somehow to Ron, no matter how unintentionally.

If I turned to either of my parents then their trust and care for Harry would falter, and I didn't want to trouble anyone.

Incredible, really. The boy, who broke my heart, made me cry my eyes out, and insist on building my hopes up, only to crush them beneath him shoe, and making me relive the agony all over again. And I was defending him.

Why should I care if Ron whoops him, or if Mum and Dad chew him out of their hearts and lives? Why was it so hard to let go?

I loved him, yet I hated him. I wanted to accept his apology and crawl into his arms again, but at the same time condemn him to hell.

There was a knock at my door.

"Yes," I said from beneath my comforter.

Mum came in and pulled it off of me. "Ginny, there were two owls for you this morning. Here," she said, handing me the letters.

I sat up, scratching my messy bed head with one hand and taking the letters with the other.

"This morning? What time-"

"It's near one, dear. Lunch is ready, by the way. Ham sandwiches. Come down and eat," she said, leaving.

"K-k-k, Mum," I said through a yawn.

I looked down at the two letters and quickly tore them open.

One was from Ervin, answering a few questions I had about the Healer seminar, and the other was from Neville, asking me to have dinner with him at his flat. He'd be cooking.

Now, I'm sure he could cook wonderfully. He was one to surprise me, afterall. I quickly scribbled out that I'd love to have dinner with him, and went downstairs to owl it and eat, wondering if Neville's cooking could prove to be better than ordinary ham sandwiches.

All right. So my owl had been sent, I had finally gotten around to changing out of my pajamas, showered, and picked out a nice pair of black trousers with a light blue top: a nice outfit for a nice dinner, I hoped. But honestly, it had been one of those cloudy, great sleeping in kind of days when you just wanted to curl up and drivel into the gossip, rumor, style world of other people's lives. Or whatever you call those ridiculous muggle magazines.

Forgive me for wishing once that I lived in a huge-arse mansion, furnished in velvet, silk and crystal. There was nothing wrong with the Burrow; I loved this place. But everyone dreams, don't they?

Six o'clock. Oi, was it time to go, already? We hadn't really specified an exact time, yet, ready for me or not, I bid goodbyes to Mum and Dad and disapperated.

I apparated in front of the flat Neville had informed me of in his letter. I thought about turning away and backing down, but I had to give myself a psychological kick in the trousers. It was just dinner with Neville. Neville. Gryffindor. Friend. We had just had a lunch date not long ago, right? I was acting so stupid.

So I knocked on the door twice before I could do anything else.

I heard the distant sound of footsteps, and they grew louder and louder before the door opened.

Neville appeared, drying his hands with a dish rag, and he was smiling.

"Hi, Neville," I said, smiling back.

"Come on in, Ginny. I was just finishing the food," he said, opening the door wider to let me in.

* * *

So once again, my worrying and my inner battles were proved to be codswallop. Neville had cooked a delicious dinner of lasagna and homemade garlic bread, a far cry from ham sandwiches.

His flat was nice, too, though at times throughout the evening, I had to remind myself that I was in a home and not a greenhouse. Aside from Hogwarts, Neville must have done much of his studying of Herbology here. Throughout his living room, different varieties of vegetation sat under sunlamps, floated in jars of orange liquid, or even graced themselves on his coffee table, too pretty to be shelved.

Conversation came easy to us, as we chatted from topic to topic, usually returning back to our preferred Quidditch team for the season.

But at the moment, we were currently discussing our careers, as I sat on the soft cream-colored carpet and he stretched out on his sofa. I could definitely say now that Neville was the type of person who could really just be himself, comfortably, in the keep of his house. A home-body like me.

"So you're going to really be a Healer. Wow…"

"Oh, don't sound too astounded, Neville," I said, lightly smacking his arm. "It's not a sure thing, yet. But I do have this seminar for it tomorrow."

He propped himself onto an elbow and blew at the soft brown hair falling into his eyes.

"What type of seminar? Are you all going to be lined up and ordered to do brain surgery one-by-one?"

I snorted at his whimsical question. "Of _course_, not. It's only an informational meeting for new people interested. I believe they're going to bring in a couple guest speakers straight from the front lines."

Neville's eyebrows rose. "Sounds very important. I hope you enjoy that career, Ginny."

I smiled and nodded. "I'm sure I will. Well, it's really getting late. I should head home," I said, standing.

He jumped off the sofa and disappeared down the hall for a moment, and came back, as I slipped by shoes on, holding a single golden rose.

I looked from his grinning face to the flower, completely awestruck by its glittering petals.

"This is for you," he said, giving it to me, "I've been experimenting with ordinary breeds of plants, and this is one that turned out pretty good."

"Pretty good?" I said incredulously, my eyes still round as saucers. "It's beautiful. Thank you, Neville."

He smiled, shrugging coolly, but I could see the pink creeping up his neck.

Feeling a bit flushed, myself, I opened the door. "And thanks for dinner. I had a lovely time. Goodnight."

He reached for the door and touched my arm. "Wait," he said quietly.

I looked at his face, barely five inches from mine, and his eyes flickered to my lips as he leaned in and kissed me.


	6. Facing Jealousy

I had to walk a ways down the street from Neville's flat, in order to settle my breathing and possibly calm the waves of heat coming from my flushed cheeks.

Should I not have been surprised that he'd kissed me? I mean, it made sense since we had dinner at _his_ place, which was quite a more intimate setting that some smoky old pub.

And it certainly hadn't been a _bad_ kiss, really. Just one of those sweet, lingering, lip-to-lip kind that sent warm shivers, if there were such things, all the way down to your toes. It was just that…

Nope. I made myself disapperate before I could contemplate what "it" was, secretly realizing that it was Harry's lips that used to do that to me, and rightfully should still be. But I couldn't let my heart win the battle against my mind, not this time.

* * *

I took a moment to think through my life on the morning of July first, the day of the Healer seminar. It may have just been nerves, but the whole prospect of becoming someone so _important_ and so _needed_…

Was I ready to be put into a eminence like that, again? Of course, last time, I wasn't _really_ viewed that way, I thought spitefully. Last time I had been fooled, completely. I wasn't needed at all and certainly was not held at a level of importance.

But I suppose careers and old broken hearts are two very different things.

It's just, I'm Ginny Weasley, you know? Never had I done anything extraordinary or brave. I was just the baby sister of six accomplished older brothers, who the only thing I could hold to my name was a pretty nasty, but effective Bat-Bogey hex. And the only thing that had happened to me that held any significance, was in my first year, when Tom Riddle took control of me, and I, but not really me, did all those horrible things.

And when I was so close to death, who saved my life?

Harry did. He risked his own life to save me. I saw him when the basilisk's venom was close to fulfilling its purpose; it was probably the nearest to death Harry had ever been, and I was there.

Certain events remain engraved into you, events you shared with another person, and no matter how much you try to pull away from it, you're bonded, inescapably.

I slammed my fists onto my bedroom desk. "Damn you, Harry!" I screamed; tears released and fell down my cheeks. "I loved you, I _loved_ you, and you…" I broke off, not desiring to declare what he did.

I wiped my face, grabbed my robes from the hook, and disappeared down the staircase.

It was time to start a new life.

* * *

The doors to the Hog Hub were propped open, and small clusters of witches and wizards filtered in before me. My hands were in the pockets of my robes; my hand clung to my wand tightly, exemplifying my on-edge feeling from the emotions I had whirled through earlier. I was surprised I was even here in one piece after apparating.

The witch at the door was tall with short golden hair, falling in ringlets down to her chin. She wore a very studious pair of brown-rimmed glasses and was passing out pamphlets to the groups.

When she came to me, she handed me a pamphlet and smiled. "You're Ginny Weasley, right?"

She caught me off-guard at her knowledge of my name. "Yes," I said charily.

She made a funny smacking sound with her teeth and lips. "Just as I thought. Ervin has mentioned you once or twice before: red hair, strong, and a special interest for Healing. Brilliant. It's your kind that we need more of. I can see it in your eyes: the drive, the zeal to get out and heal! Oh, gracious," she said, "I fear I've frightened you. Please, do come in, already."

I passed her quickly, grip still on my wand and a pamphlet in hand. Boy, that witch was something else.

Inside, at least a dozen tables lined the sides of the auditorium, each displaying a different sign for each different job opportunity that the medicine field offered.

There were hundreds of chairs, neatly lined into rows, a vender from the Three Broomsticks, selling mugs of butterbeer, and several other volunteer mediwitches and mediwizards that were performing the right way to remove bowtruckle claws, or how to brew the correct Sleeping Draught, guaranteeing dreamless, M.S.A. (Magical Sleep Association) approved slumber.

I opened the pamphlet and scanned over the paragraphs and pictures. Each page gave an ample description of each field. There were jobs listed and described here that I had never even heard of, and they greatly intrigued me.

I was about check out the Magical Veterinarian booth, out of curiosity, when a familiar face came into my view, and I felt my palms start to sweat, tightly twisting the pamphlet in my hands.

She stuck out like a raven amidst the doves. Cho Chang was here at the Healer's seminar.

The pamphlet I had been holding was reduced to a crumpled ball in an instant, as I watched Cho saunter, yes, she sauntered, into the auditorium.

Lucky she hadn't caught my eye, I thought, plotting different ways to rid Cho of her silky mane of black. I self-consciously reached at my own soft, masses of ginger that I rarely had the patience with it to call it hair.

Cho shook back her sheet of dark silk once more, as she greeted a familiar face, and I felt the anger steam inside of me. Bloody smoke could have spouted from my ears.

Lord, why couldn't she have just stuck with Quidditch?

_Because it was her point in life to outshine me in everything I set my heart on._

And there I went again, fusing together careers and broken hearts. No, if Cho wanted to become a Healer, then fine. There was a shortage, anyway. I was just being irrational again, and as I strolled over to take a seat in one of the rows, I silently kept telling myself my hostility towards Cho had nothing to do with jealousy.

Not so surprisingly, I was failing in convincing myself, but I felt extremely grateful when the witch from outside stepped up to the podium and called for everyone to have a seat.

I must have had terrible luck that day, for when I faced the front, a dark curtain of black met my gaze.

With a flick of my wand, I could have set Cho's hair on fire, and rid myself of its sight.

An involuntary grin spread across my face as I imagined the effects.


	7. My Epiphany

The witch, Belinda Sperst, turned out to be quite a good speaker, I observed, when I wasn't seething over Cho.

Why was I even this mad at her? It was Harry who had cheated.

Though pissed off, I was at Harry, my guy told me that part of it had been her doing. Sure, she wasn't in Gryffindor and she couldn't have known about all those secret meetings in the Astronomy Tower, but didn't she realize? Harry was through with her by the end of fifth year, weighted by Sirius's death and all, and it was me, with the help of Ron and Hermione, who got him to smile again, to get back onto his broom, to laugh… Oh, his laugh.

Needless to say, I had had enough of this Healer's seminar. I heard what I wanted to hear, picked up a few brochures, and was ready to head home. Feeling vaguely defeated, I reached into my cloak pocket for my wand when someone bumped into me. I didn't bother to look up, but I heard the person say "Ginny Weasley" in an I'm-not-surprised sort of fashion.

Glaring, I raised my head and saw Cho standing before me, slowly twisting a lock of her hair.

"Watch where you're going," I said numbly, moving to pass her.

"No wait, _wait_," She said, quickly moving to block me. "C'mon. Let's go somewhere we can talk peacefully. No interruptions."

I opened my mouth to protest, but she pulled me by the elbow out the door, waving to people as she did so. It wasn't until we were inside the Three Broomsticks that she let me go.

Oh, I wanted to shout at her, scream bloody murder and let my Wealsey temper-genes take over, but I sat down at the table with her, instead.

"Butterbeer, Ginny?" Cho asked. I did nothing. "Right, two butterbeers, please," she said to the waiter.

"So…" she started, pausing briefly to shake back her hair, "How are you?"

Still, I did nothing but narrow my eyes, wanting to somehow show that I did not want to be here without screaming being involved.

Cho raised a delicate eyebrow slyly. "How's Harry?"

I let out a disbelieving scoff. "Who the _hell_ do you think you are, bringing me here and asking me that?"

Cho didn't look taken aback, not at all, but her eyes lit up with amusement as she watched my cheeks flush with anger.

"Oh dear," she said through a giggle. "Tell me that you're not still stuck on that boy! Oh ho, Ginny. C'mon, love."

I was breathing so fast, I was surprised I could still see straight, not that the current view was any pleasant.

"What… do you mean… am I still stuck on him? Harry and I… are through. We've been through since the start of the summer."

She smirked. "Really? I was under the impression that you were madly in love with eachother when I slipped him some Love-Defy Potion."

My heart stopped. "You _filthy_, no good, rotten…" I bit it back, I _bit it back_.

"How could you do that?" I asked, swallowing my anger tears.

"Simple. I saw Harry in here, at this very table, the day of your graduation; I came to watch my cousin graduate, but anyway. I saw him, slipped some Love-Defy Potion into his butterbeer, and the effect was instant." She looked very satisfied with herself.

"WHY!?" A few people at the bar fell of their stools.

"Why? Well, I suppose it was harder for me to admit it to myself before, but I was _jealous_ of you, Ginny."

Cho didn't sound so gleeful anymore. "Yes, it started the end of fifth year, when you had played Seeker in place of Harry and _beat_ me. That's when it started. I tried other ways of hurting you, but you were such a resilient girl, that I knew I would have to play my cards just right."

So she struck the heart, I thought.

At once, emotions and realizations dawned on me. Anger, hate, guilt, irelief/i. Harry never knew he broke my heart because technically, he never had. The Love-Defy Potion blocks off all feeling you hold for a certain person and channels the feeling to the next person you touch. Though the potion wears off in a matter of minutes, Cho had slipped it into his drink at the moment she figured I'd come waltzing through.

Suddenly, this place, Cho, _nothing_ seemed more important that finding Harry.

Moments later, I was walking out of the Three Broomsticks, but I had repaid Cho for my drink… by dumping the tankard over her head.

* * *

The door to the Burrow's kitchen was nearly torn from the hinges; at the moment, I was being driven by thoughts and feelings that I had yet to sort out. I thanked God Ron was home, as I raced inside, breathless.

"Ron, please. Where's Harry?"

Ron was at the table, eating a bowl of stew Mum had left simmering for us. Mouth already stuffed, he managed, "Suffeweffirraminidityo," though, I got none of it.

"Swallow, you dote!" I yelled, exasperated. He gave me a defiant look, wondering why I was being cross with him for no reason.

Oh, but he didn't understand. I needed to see Harry right _now_.

"Ginny, you're home," Mum said, walking into the kitchen, carrying an old white china vase.

"Mum, would you please tell me where Har-"

"He just stopped by, dear," said Mum, now using a Dusting Charm to clean off the vase. "He was just upstairs, looking for _you_, but I had to tell him you were at that seminar. By the way, why are you back so early?"

I raked a hand through my hair, my mind a mess. "I'll explain later, I'm just going to go change…"

"Dear, take this with you," she said, holding out the case, "You'll need it." She smiled at me.

I took the vase from my mum, watching her for a sign of reason for why she had just handed me the antique. But she returned to the stove and helped herself to some stew, so I rolled my eyes, closed my mouth, and ascended the stairs to my bedroom.

My mum sat down at the table, grinning at Ron.

* * *

I opened my bedroom door with one hand, balancing the large vase in my other. I gasped when I looked over my room.

Red roses. Everywhere. Covering my bed, lacing my dresser and nightstand, scattered all across the floor, and even tucked into the light fixtures. I picked up the note that was on my pillow and read.

_I can't stop thinking about you. I'm sorry for making you angry. Please, let me make it up to you, and accept these roses, which I know are your favorite, as the first step._

_I'm sorry,_

_Harry_

"Oh," I breathed, glancing from the note in one hand and the vase in the other.

* * *

__

_Number __12 Grimmauld Place___

Harry fell back onto his bed, emitting a loud sigh. He hoped he had done the right thing. Ron had warned him before that women need their space when they were mad. Then again, who was Ron to talk, the way he pestered Hermione until she came right out and screamed it for him exactly what was bothering her, though it usually was his doing. Then they would naturally not speak for a few hours until they both gave into each other, leading to very fervent make-ups. Harry winced.

But this was different with Ginny. Ron and Hermione were destined to be together, never faltering in their love or their passion for one another. Nothing would ever tear them apart. With Ginny, it felt like she was slowly slipping farther out of his reach, until he would lose her forever.

The red roses weren't just some plot to try to win her over, but were a sign of his admission of guilt. And no matter how frustrated he'd feel, knowing that he had no business feeling sorry and remorseful, Harry could only do what he thought he had to do to make amends with Ginny. Because he loved her.

* * *

I sat at a table beneath a bright purple umbrella outside of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, staring at my folded hands. The image of my bedroom festooned with red roses was still stuck in my mind. I placed as many of the roses into that white china vase as I could fit, and placed them beside the golden rose Neville had given me. And you know, those ordinary red roses appeared so much more beautiful to me than what a million enchanted golden ones ever could have been.

My heart was aching so badly; I could only imagine what Harry must be feeling, which was why I needed to find him. I had checked the Three Broomsticks, just now, the Diagon Square, and even the Ministry, thinking maybe he had gone back into work.

"It can't be this impossible to track someone down," I mumbled to myself. An elder witch, holding the hand of her little grandson passed by, followed closely by their house elf. That's funny; house elves usually never leave their houses. Of course, Winky had been an exception, and so had… so had Kreacher!

Kreacher, who had lived at Grimmauld Place. Would Harry be there? I don't remember hearing anything about him moving in there, but it was definitely a possibility.

* * *

I opened the door I distinctly remembered being Harry's.

And there he was, lying back on his bed, head upturned, and eyes closed. I looked over and saw his glasses sitting on the nightstand, neatly folded. Clearly, he was dozing, and here I was.

Why did he have to be asleep now? Should I really wake him?

_Now or never…_

Right. This was too important to simply wait for naptime to be over. But as I gently closed the door and stepped quietly over to his bed, my insides loosened and the terse determination, rushing through my bloodstream, cooled.

Harry was so beautiful while he slept. His eyes were curtained by thick, dark eyelashes; his lips looked so soft and were slightly parted, as he took deep breaths; the hand on his chest rose and fell with each one.

I was floored that the fates had ever made be separate from this man, when clearly he was all I ever really needed. Abandoning every hesitant thought or reason I had, I laid down next to him and cuddled close to him, laying my head on his shoulder.

I was about to close my eyes, completely calmed by the sound of his heart beating, when two arms closed around me.

Excitement overcame my sudden nerves, so I turned my head up to see his face.

Harry was smiling at me, a sleepy smile greatly accentuated by his sparkling green eyes. He had me with those eyes.

"Ginny," he said a bit hoarsely, "you came to me. I'm so sorry I…"

"Shhh," I hushed him, placing a finger over his lips. He kissed the finger, and I nearly gasped.

"Harry, listen to me. You don't have to be sorry."

And as he held me, arms closing ever tighter around my waist, I told him everything about Cho, the potion, how I had ignored and him and thought he had broken my heart. The whole time his gaze stayed fixed upon me, his eyes portraying every emotion he felt as I told my story, the story he never heard.

When I finished, barely capable of speaking any longer from the held back tears tight on my throat, I said to him, "So it's me who should be sorry, Harry. I am. To think that I had hated you, but that was a lie I told myself because I didn't want to love you. But now I know nothing can keep me from loving you. I'm sorry Harry. I love you."

Somehow, he managed to pull me into him even more, and I finally let my tears go, as he held onto me.

When he felt that I had cried enough, he lifted my head up and caressed away al my tears.

"Ginny, please, no more crying. We're here now, together."

Sniffing, I asked, "But aren't you upset? Hurt?"

His jaw tightened. "I am angry at Cho Chang."

"I dumped a tankard of butterbeer over her head," I intervened. Harry looked at me, surprised. "Did you?"

I nodded, grinning.

"I feel better now," he said, chuckling. "But Ginny, I'm not going to be mad at you. All of it was a mistake. It's just… in the past, now. Behind us. _Here, now_, we have eachother: the most important thing. I love you, Ginny Weasley."

"I love you, Harry Potter."

The words I wanted to say for months were finally out. "And Harry," I said, looking into his eyes, "thank you for the roses."

He smiled, closing in to give me a kiss with such unbridled passion, that I felt my toes curl and my body yearn for more. This was bliss. Once again and forevermore, I would stand on my cloud, love… and be loved.

- FIN -


End file.
